Aluminum

Aluminum is a soft, silver-colored metal. It is very light but also strong. Aluminum is one of the most common metals on Earth. You use it every day without even knowing. Soda cans, foil, and ladders are all made of aluminum.

Why Aluminum Is Useful

Aluminum weighs much less than iron or steel. This makes it great for things that need to be light, like airplanes and bikes. It also does not rust, so it lasts a long time outdoors. Aluminum can be melted down and used again and again. Recycling one can saves enough power to run a TV for three hours.

Where Aluminum Comes From

Aluminum is never found as a pure metal in nature. Instead, it comes from a reddish rock called bauxite. Workers dig up bauxite in hot places like Australia and Africa. Then machines use a lot of electricity to pull the aluminum out of the rock. Over 100 years ago, aluminum was so hard to make that it cost more than gold.

Fun Facts

• Aluminum foil has a shiny side and a dull side because of how it is made.
• Airplanes are often made from aluminum to help them fly.
• Aluminum can be recycled forever without losing quality.

Did You Know?

The top of the Washington Monument in Washington D.C. is made of aluminum because the metal was once very rare and fancy.